After a fall near the first anniversary of her beloved aunt's death, a writer explored why grief can make us less sure-footed. She found answers, climbing a precarious staircase in Italy.

In the U.S., people of color have been more likely to die at younger ages, especially among lower-income communities. That's had a ripple effect on finances, education and physical and mental health.

Nothing prepares you for losing a beloved parent to illness. But when you can't be present at the bedside or the graveside, how do you let go and begin to grieve?

The first episode of this season's Invisibilia podcast explores how people cope when something happens that fundamentally shifts how they view themselves. The author's mother decided to try skydiving.